Verbotene Liebe
by Patricia Sage
Summary: Alec is being forced to marry a rich Countess who has taken an interest in him. What will happen when Alec meets Magnus and falls in love? How will this affect his and his family's future? Malec, AU.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Author's Note: Alright, let's see if I can manage to complete a multi-chapter fanfiction without starting a new one in a spur-of-the-moment inspiration... Not gonna happen...oh well. **

**Better explain myself, eh? This fanfic is set in a world that I made up. Sorta mideval, but not really... I'll explain it more in the story. Alec is forced to marry a rich girl that has taken a fancy to him.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.**

Alec felt like he was suffocating. In his troubled mind, the walls closed in; he was standing in the middle of a crowded room, screaming, but no one looked his way. He didn't know what to do.

Alec sunk down in the plush bedding of the seemingly expensive room that was now his. He hated this. Back home (because this could never be home, no matter what his mother said) he had never had such fine sheets and decorations. It didn't matter to Alec. He would trade anything to be back home.

The boy reached down to twirl the silver ring on his left hand fourth finger. He wanted to rip it off and throw it at the wall, but he couldn't bring himself to remove it. It was what had sealed his fate and it stayed where it was. Alec hated it. Wasn't an engagement ring supposed to represent joy and hope? It wasn't supposed to bring that sick feeling and remind you of impending doom.

Alec felt the raw emotion building up like a high tide in his chest again. This time, he let it out. For the first time since he had donned the ring on his hand, Alec broke down his facade of happiness and let the remorse and helplessness have its way with him. He turned onto his stomach, letting his face fall into the down-feather pillows to stifle his cries as he sobbed freely. It felt awful as he was hurting and trying to make sure no one heard, but it also felt good to get all of the remorse out of his system...for now.

After he had worn himself out and his throat was raw, the young man curled up on the silken sheets and fell into a restless sleep with his damp cheek pressed against the cold silver band on his finger.

**THTHTHTH**

Isabelle Lightwood could hear her brother softly crying in the room next to her. She couldn't, however, bring herself to feel sorry for him. It was his responsibility to do this and he had to suck it up and go through with it.

Ever since Dad had died, it was Alec's duty to take the place of the head of the family. He had to make sacrifices for the rest of them, much like this one.

What he had to do wasn't even that bad. His getting married to Countess Maria Kenneth would save the whole family from starvation, labour and many other awful things. All Alec had to do was say "I do" and all their problems would dissapear.

Isabelle remembered when the Countess had taken a liking to Alec, against all odds regarding their poor standings. It was a miracle, but Alec didn't like having to lie to Maria. He was gay and was not comfortable with marrying a girl he barely knew. Isabelle and her mother had convinced him to go through with it, though. He had to support both women as well as young Max. They couldn't do that without aid and this was their only hope. Besides, Alec would get over it. Homosexual people married the opposite gender all the time to hide it. And, the benefit would outway the negative in the end.

Isabelle put down the smooth hairbrush after brushing her hair in the mirror so much that it gleamed. It had been so long since she had felt this comfortable, clean and beautiful. She gently slid back the chair and got into the huge, four-poster bed. Her silken nightgown felt cool against her legs. Maria had let the whole family move in to her castle in celebration of the engagement. Isabelle could get used to this.

Finally, her brother's cries subsided through the wall and Isabelle slipped into a blissful sleep.

**Author's Second Note: Poor, poor Alec. And, yes, Isabelle and Maryse are not-so-nice. Magnus will be coming soon and making Alec happy, but not the rest of the family. Also, Jace is gonna make an appearance. Stick with me? Oh, and review? Every single one makes me happy.**

**Take care.**  
><strong>-Patricia Sage<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Author's Note: Thank you to all the wonderful people who reviewed! A lot of you had a problem with Isabelle being such a jerk. I know, I felt bad writing it (because I love her), but she and Maryse are sorta gonna be the villians in this story. :( So, they are OOC character for this purpose.**

They had been living in the castle for a couple of weeks now, and Alec didn't think that he would ever get used to the life of the wealthy. He'd wake in his huge and soft bed and then go to the dining hall for breakfast with his family and fiance. They'd make polite conversation over the large and elaborate meal that Alec would barely touch. The day would be spent doing whatever they wanted to do-there were endless possibilities when you had an endless supply of money. But, Alec didn't want these luxuries.

Maria could tell that something was wrong with Alec. Sure, the stress of the impending wedding could be getting to him, but she had a feeling that this sadness ran deeper than that. He was very sweet to her, but not in a way that he was in the least attracted to her. She also noticed the broken looks that passed over his face whenever he thought no one was looking. And, the looks that were sometimes exchanged between he and his mother and sister. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she had grown to like Alec a lot and wanted him to feel better.

Maria approached him after breakfast one morning. "Alec?"

He turned around and fixed her with his calm, blue-eyed gaze. "Yes, Maria?"

She smoothed down her pink gown and sat beside him on the window seat, where Alec had been staring out at the people walking past. He looked at her with a little smile, like you would give to a new friend, not to your fiance. Maria didn't mind. She just liked it when he smiled.

"How would you like to go out today?" She asked.

Alec sighed and looked out the window once again. "My mother forbids it." He said, but the girl beside him could hear the longing in his rich voice.

Maria touched his arm gently. "Oh, come on." She said, pulling him to his feet. He was so much taller than she was, and she had to tilt her head up to look him in the eye again. "We both know that your mother can't resist my charms. I'll tell her we're having a romantic outing, but really I'll just let you wander where-ever you'd like to go. I need to shop for dresses, anyway."

Alec smiled again, and this one seemed a little more guinine than the last one had been. "Okay."

Maria grinned at him and left to convince Maryse to let her son out. It was true, Alec reflected, that his mother always listened to Maria. He looked out the window once again. It had been so long since he had been ouside of the castle.

**THTHTHTHTHTH**

"We'll meet back here in two hours, okay?" Maria reminded him as they stood in a little cafe outside of the main courtyard. She had pinned her chocolate brown hair up with sparkling clips. Alec absently reached out and touched one gently. She laughed a little and pulled one out of her elaborately styled hair. She placed it in his palm. "Here. Something to remind you not to be late." She then gave him a little wave and skipped out of the cafe for her dress shopping. Alec didn't really understand her logic, but he closed his fingers over the clip and put it in his pocket, anyway.

The young man wasn't sure where he intended to go, but he walked out into the courtyard. It was filled with bustling people, dressed in fancy clothes and rags alike. He didn't recognize anyone. Even though he was happy with the freedom he possesed for two hours, Alec also felt a little lost. In the middle of a busy crowd, Alec felt strangely alone. These past weeks, that emotion wasn't unknown to him.

The dark-haired boy found himself walking through the streams of people towards his old neighbourhood in a desperate search for familiarity. As he neared his destination, the houses he passed by became less and less expensive-looking until they were all mere centimeters apart and had the same brown exterior.

He found his old house and looked at if for a few moments, immersed in memories of his childhood...memories of his father also surfaced. How simple life had been before he died. Alec sat on a crate and stared at the scuffs on his previously polished shoes, deep in thought.

"Hey, rich kid!" The voice came from nowhere as did the apple that hit Alec on the side of the head.

He looked up, startled, to see a boy about his age, 18, sitting in a tree. The branch he lounged on was hanging over the fence that seperated Alec's old house from what he assumed was the other boy's place. Alec had never known any of his neighbours.

The other boy was tall and thin. He had caramel-coloured skin that showed in the places where his clothes had been torn...presumably from climbing trees all the time. He took a bite out of an apple, "What are you doing in this part of the town?" He shot at Alec.

Alec looked down at the first apple where it sat on the ground after it had come into contact with his head. He felt a little afronted, but answered. "I used to live here." He said.

There was a moment of silence until another apple hit the back of his neck. It was the one that the other boy had been eating. "Why are you throwing things at me?" Alec exclaimed, a little insulted. He looked once more at the young man in the tree.

The other boy had a mischeivous look in his almond-shaped eyes. He shrugged his thin shoulders. "Look at me when you talk to me, rich kid, not the fruit." He leaned forward until he was almost lying on his stomach on that thick branch hanging over the fence. "Now, what did you say?"

Alec was stunned by how brazen this boy was, but he held eye-contact when he answered him, non-the-less. "I said that I used to live here." He stood up from the crate. "And my name is not rich kid!"

"What is your name, then?" The thin boy tilted his head to the side in a cat-like gesture.

"Alec."

"Well, Alec." In a sudden move, he jumped out of the tree and landed on his feet smoothly in front of Alec. He held out his hand to the shocked boy. "I'm Magnus." Alec took his hand and they shook. Magnus had a surprisingly strong grip. "You used to live here?" He said, gesturing to the run-down house that they stood in front of.

Alec grinned a little. "Do I have to repeat myself a third time?" He said.

Magnus blushed a little, his curtain of dark hair falling into his exotic eyes, which Alec could see were a greenish-gold, since he was up close. "Sorry." He said, but the humble look was soon replaced by his usual defiant one. "It's just, you're dressed so fancy that you look a little out of place in this neighbourhood."

Alec looked down. "Well, things change." He commented absently.

Magnus looked him up and down, taking in his clothes as well as his good looks. "Why are you here?" He asked, "If you have such a good life now, why would you want to come back?"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know. I needed something familiar, I guess. And, believe me, there's a difference between a rich life and a happy life." He looked around again. "I wish I could come back here."

Magnus couldn't figure out this young man in front of him. He was confusing. But, it was obvious that he was sad, and Magnus wanted to help him out. "Well," He said, startling Alec from where he had stared into thin air for a while. "You seem like you need to loosen up a bit." He grabbed Alec's pale hand and smiled when the well-dressed boy blushed. "Come with me. I was planning to mess with rich old people today and I need a partner in crime. I choose you."

**Author's Second Note: Oh, and 'verbotene liebe' is 'forbidden love' in German. Don't know why I didn't just put 'forbidden love', but you know how that works... Review?**

**Take care.**  
><strong>-Patricia Sage<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Author's Note: I wrote most of this listening to Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 (I love them!). :D**

Magnus held Alec's hand tightly as the taller boy lead him through a maze of people and buildings. They dodged around barrels of water, people, dogs, gardening supplies, and so much more as they took this complex route through the town that was completely unfamiliar to Alec. The blue-eyed boy knew that, without Magnus, he would have fallen over something, gotten lost, or some mixture of both by now. But, the other boy's calloused hand in his was his safety line. Alec couldn't help but blush, thinking about how he was holding hands with this attractive young man as they ran through the alleys and streets.

Suddenly, Magnus pressed up against a wall and brought his hand out of Alec's to reach back and put his palm on Alec's chest, forcing his back to the brick. They were now side-by-side, breathing hard and leaning against a building, with Magnus' thin arm in front of Alec, keeping him there. Magnus turned to him with a mischeivous glint in his amber eyes and then took his arm away from Alec's chest to point. "There they are." He whispered.

Magnus was gesturing to a pair of old ladies sitting on a concrete bench a few feet away. They had their backs to the boys and seemed to be gossiping behind their decorative fans and floppy hats. "Those old girls are our targets." Magnus said, and then surprised Alec by taking his hand again, even though he surely wasn't going to get lost.

Alec couldn't help it when his face heated up again. "Um, what are we going to do?" He asked.

Magnus laughed a little, but the women couldn't hear him over the chatter in the square ahead of them. "Do you have no imagination, Alec?" He rolled his eyes a little when Alec shrugged. He then pointed with his free hand to a bench beside the ones where the old women sat. "See that bag on the bench?" There was a cloth bag slumped on the seat of the blue bench to the left of the ladies. "I need you to walk over and grab it without attracting attention."

Alec turned his blue eyes to him. "What? Why me?" He asked urgently.

Magnus squeezed his hand. "Because," He said patiently, "Those old women feed off of gossip and sniping comments at people behind their backs. If I go and get the bag, dressed like I am," He gestured to his tattered clothing, "I would draw suspicion."

"And," Magnus added, almost off-handedly, "People would probably think that I was stealing it because I look like a hoodlum."

"You don't look like a hoodlum." Alec commented without thinking.

Magnus smiled. "You're sweet. Now go." He gave Alec a push in the small of his back and the dark-haired boy stumbled into the street.

Alec cast one more look towards the green-eyed boy in the shadows, then walked towards the bench. He tried to look as normal as possible, not drawing suspicion. He shot a glance toward the old ladies in their frilly dresses to see that they weren't looking at him-their beady eyes, framed by the wrinkles on their faces, were focused on a young man selling fish down the road.

Alec, still not sure why he was doing this, grabbed the cloth bag off of the bench and slowly walked towards Magnus, who was waiting for him with a grin. "Great job, Alec. You're a natural." Magnus said, snatching the bag from him and inspecting its contents.

"What is the purpose of this bag?" Alec asked. He had no idea what was running through the other boy's mind.

"Okay, calm down," Magnus said, closing the bag with a satisfied look, "Here's the plan." He crouched on the ground, then tugged on Alec's hand so that the other boy was kneeling as well. Magnus started to draw in the dirt with his finger, leaving faint grooves in the grime.

"These are our targets." Two X's were drawn on the ground. "This is us." Two circles, a small distance away. "We take this bag of birdseed," _Birdseed?_ "And we sprinkle some around them and on their lacy, old-women hats." A line was drawn from the circles to the X's. "And then the pigeons attack them and we run away." The strange boy drew a large pigeon above the whole picture. Magnus looked up from his handywork with a proud smile.

"We get pigeons to attack them?" Alec asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Magnus exclaimed, "Won't that be hilarious?"

Alec couldn't help but smile at the weirdness of this whole escapade. Laughing a little, he said, "How do you know this will work?"

With a shrug, Magnus winked at him, "Oh I have absolutly no idea if it will work or not. Ready to go?" He stood up and tried to dust of his pants, but only ended up with another smear of dirt on them. He offered his hand to Alec once more. "You with me?"

Alec gave a shrug, himself. "Why not?" Taking Magnus' hand, he stood up as well. The rich boy accepted a handful of birdseed and they walked casually towards the old ladies. The two women didn't see them until they were very close and, by that time, it was too late. Their fancy hats were covered in seed as the two troublemaking boys ran away from them. Seconds later, the pigeons who had been milling about the street not too far ahead swarmed at the old ladies. Magnus and Alec could barely hear the ladies' indignified screetches over the sound of the cooing pigeons and their own laughter as they ran through the alleys once more.

"I...can't believe...we just did that." Alec gasped out, laughing and breathing hard from the running. They had run through the passageways to another secluded neighbourhood and not many people were around to notice the hysterical boys leaning against a wall.

Magnus was grinning. "I can't believe...it actually...worked!" He slid down the wall so that he was in a sitting position and Alec followed suit.

Once their laughter dissipated and their breath was returned to them, the boys settled into a comfortable silence. "I haven't enjoyed myself like that, well...ever." Alec commented.

"When do you have to go back to your castle?" Magnus asked.

Alec gave him a look. "How do you know that I live in a castle?"

With another smile, Magnus remarked, "I just guessed. I'm intuitive like that."

The blue-eyed boy checked his wristwatch. "In about an hour."

"Cool," Magnus shifted so that his long legs were drawn out in front of him. Alec kept his tucked to his chest. "So, what do you want to do now?"

Alec played with the hem of his sleeve. "I'm not sure. I don't get out often anymore. What do you want to do?"

"How about we go sight-shopping?"

"What's sight-shopping?" Alec was confused.

Magnus stretched his back and the other boy blushed when a strip of skin showed where his shirt rode up. Magnus didn't notice, or if he did, he didn't comment. His characteristic grin was in place. "Well, it's like shopping for poor people, but without the stealing. You don't buy anything, you just look around."

"Sure."

**THTHTHTHTHTHTHTH**

"So, what happened to make you rich all of a sudden?" Magnus asked as they passed a shop that sold pastries. The thin boy was examining a cream-filled object with interest. "I wonder how they get the cream in there..." He commented faintly. When Alec didn't answer his question right away, Magnus looked at him to find him looking uncomfortably at his polished shoes. "What's wrong?"

"I, um..." Alec cleared his throat. "I got engaged. To Countess Maria Kenneth." Alec could remember his mother and sister forcing him to propose to her in a letter, since he would screw it up if he did it in person.

Alec fearfully looked up into Magnus' green-gold eyes, only to find a fond understanding in them. "You didn't want to, did you?"

Alec shook his head. "No, I'm..." Should he tell this boy? They had just met. But, Alec hadn't felt this close to someone in a long time. Looking into Magnus' strange eyes again, he found a trust there and felt that he could tell him. "I'm gay."

A soft smile formed on Magnus' face. "I know." He decided not to press the issue because he could tell that Alec had just trusted him greatly and he didn't want to push it. He pointed farther down the road. "Let's go look over there!"

Alec breathed a sigh of relief that Magnus accepted him and that he gave him some space. He really liked this boy. They came up to a little store which had dangling jewels all over the place. Necklaces and beads and gems glinted from all surfaces. Magnus seemed captivated by them. "I love shiney things." He said. "It's such a shame that they are the most expensive things for one to buy." His strange eyes were transfixed to the jewelery and Alec's eyes were transfixed to the boy in front of him. He was feeling something that he hadn't felt before. No, he couldn't be falling for this boy?

Suddenly, Alec caught a glance at one of the pristine watches hanging from a post. "Oh no! I have to leave." He said, and Magnus followed his gaze to the time, then turned to him.

He caught Alec's hand as the rich boy turned to go. "Will I see you again?" He asked.

Alec almost got lost in Magnus' eyes and gave him a smile. "Definitely." Then, he thought of something. "Oh, wait." He fished into his pocket. He brought Magnus' tan hand towards him and placed the small object in his open palm. "Thanks for everything." Then, with one last grin to the other boy, Alec ran down the street.

Magnus opened his hand to see a small, sparkly hairclip. The metal was cool against his skin. It was inlaid with jewels and Magnus was distracted for a moment. It was beautiful. Not only that, it was a promise. Magnus closed his fingers over it with a smile.

**Author's Second Note: Thanks for reading! Review?**

**Take care.**  
><strong>-Patricia Sage<strong>


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Author's Note: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! You make me want to continue this story!**

Maria was sitting alone at a table, picking at a scone, when Alec entered the little shop. His fiance gave a sigh of concerned relief when he slid into the chair across from her. "Where have you been?" She asked him, taking in his appearance. "And whatever happened to your clothes?"

Alec looked down at himself to see that all the rushing through alleys and people had marred his previously spotless clothing. He did look a little unkempt. "Um, well...I was..."

The young man racked his brain, trying to think of a suitable excuse, when Maria dismissed his stammering discomfort with a wave of her elegantly gloved hand. "Oh, it doesn't matter. You're not hurt, are you?" Her brown eyes this time ran over him looking for scratches and such.

"Maria, I'm fine."

"Well, you're grinning like you had a good time, whatever you were doing." She said with a small half-smile. "So, I won't inquire further as to where you were and what you did." She then returned Alec's genuine smile with one of her own. "But, we're going to have to get you cleaned up before your mother sees you like this. She'll throw a fit!" Grabbing his hand and leaving her scone on the table, forgotten, Maria tugged Alec up and out of the stall. She kept their hands intertwined as she payed for the food and then skipped out of the cafe with Alec in tow.

**THTHTHTHTHTHTH**

Maryse Lightwood met the couple as they came through the doorway. She was standing in the foyer with one hand on her hip and a smile on her ruby red lips. "How was your outing?" She asked them. Alec noticed that when his mother looked at him, her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. He tried to avoid her gaze.

"It was nice." He replied, while Maria smiled sweetly at Maryse. She had cleaned up Alec's attire as best as possible and she was pretty sure that no one would notice anything off about it.

"I'm glad to here it." The older woman said, then gathered up the large skirts of her dark blue dress and proceeded up the stairs.

Maria noticed that, as soon as they had entered the castle and the scrutiny of his mother, Alec's mood had dropped considerably. He had been so carefree after his brief freedom, almost happy, and it made her sad to see what effect Maryse had on him. She was about to ask him about it when Alec spoke up. "I'd better go check on Max." He said, and then walked down the hall to his brother's bedroom. Maria watched him go with a sigh and then left to get ready for dinner.

Max was sleeping when Alec slowly opened the door and entered. The huge bed filled with large blankets seemed to swallow up the small, pale boy who's light breathing was the only sound in the dark room. Alec made his way to the chair at Max's bedside and sat down silently. He had become very aquainted with this chair since the boy had been moved to this room when they had come to the castle. Alec would often spend his days with Max, talking or reading to him, but mostly sitting here and keeping watch over his sleeping form.

When Max was six years old, he had fallen ill with a sickness-the symptoms being constant weakness and discomfort. Since the family had had no money at the time, Max had never gotten treated for it and his health had deteriorated with time. Then, even though it seemed like life could get no worse, Robert Lightwood, the father and head of the family, had gone and died. That was three years ago and Alec remembered, at age fourteen, desperately searching for a job that could help them pay the bills and take care of the youngest and most fragile child. Not to mention, the needy and insistant women in the family, constantly reminding Alec that he was the head of the family now and had to take care of them. They had pressured him to do so much; they pretty much controlled his life. If not for Max, Alec would have left them by now.

But, Alec could not leave his younger brother in their hands, so he had given in and proposed to Maria. For the money, yes, but not for his mother and sister. The only reason he wanted this wealth was for somebody to be able to help Max. And, the reason why he visited him so often was to remind himself of that.

As Alec stared at his nine-year-old brother's sleeping form, Max started to wake. His eyes, a deep and drowning black, peeked through his eyelids. "Alec?" He whispered into the darkness.

"Yeah, buddy, it's me." Alec said, a smile gracing his features automatically.

Max adjusted and stretched his small limbs, wincing. "It's always you, Alec. Mom and Isabelle never come."

Alec stroked the boy's hair back. "Yeah, I know. How are you feeling?"

Max ignored the question, as he always did. Alec knew that he was never feeling well and Max didn't like to admit that he was in pain. "Maria sometimes visits me." He said. "She's shy but she's really nice." Alec nodded in agreement and Max looked up at him again. "Do you love her, Alec?"

Alec bit his lip and looked down at the dark blankets surrounding his brother. He really cared for Maria...but only as a friend. He wasn't sure if he should tell Max, but he didn't want to lie to him. The boy got lied to enough, already. "No, I don't." He said. "I mean...not romantically."

Max, seeing his brother's distress, caught his larger hand and held it. "Then why are you marrying her?" Alec shrugged, but Max saw right through it, "Because of me or because of Mom and Izzy?"

"A little bit of both." Alec whispered.

Max tugged on his hand until Alec looked at him again. "Alec, you shouldn't risk your own happiness for the sake of others, especially Mom and Isabelle, because they don't care about you." That was just like Max, always telling it how it is, never sugar-coating. He was bright and quick-witted for his age, always had been. "So you should stop caring about them and start caring about yourself."

"But what about you, Max?" Alec said softly. His little brother was so strong and Alec sometimes wished that he had his strength.

He shrugged his thin shoulders. "I can't do much for others or myself." It hurt Alec's heart to hear Max say that. "But you can be happy, Alec."

There was a silence then, that seemed to fill the room like a fog and smother Alec. Finally, he kissed Max's small and pale hand and changed the subject. "Your new doctor is coming today." He said.

"Right." Max let the conversation stray away, sensing Alec's emotions. "What's his name again?"

"Dr. Wayland."

The small boy scoffed, "Well, I hope that he's better than the last one. She was mean."

"Maria found Dr. Wayland for you and she says that he's a good man and a great doctor." Alec said. "And I trust her opinion, so we'll see, won't we?"

"Yeah, we will."

Just then, an apron-wearing nurse came into the room with a tray of food. "Hello, Alec." She said kindly. She had gotten to know the older boy over his little brother's sickbed. "It's time for Max's dinner. You should get to your meal as well."

Alec stood up from his chair and brushed off his pants. "You're right, Tabitha." He then looked down at the pale boy in the bed. "I'll visit you again soon, alright?" He said fondly.

Max reached out his arms for a hug and Alec leaned down to embrace him. Since Alec was a thin person, Max's arms reached almost all the way around him. Alec held his younger brother close, but not too tightly. "I love you, Alec." Max said.

"I love you, too." Alec let him go, stood up, and silently left the room.

**Author's Second Note: Well that turned out not how I expected. :P I have such bad memory that I had to check whether I had killed off Max or not. Nope. I did not. Credit to my sister, imaginess, for the idea of having a sick Max. I'm so glad for your feedback, such as how you are all fond of Maria's sweet character. It really helps me write and it also helps the story progress, so keep the reviews coming! Love you all.**

**Take care.**  
><strong>-Patricia Sage<strong>


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Author's Note: Blehhh this is such a short chapter. I'm sorry!**

Dr. Wayland made his appearance during dinner. He waltzed into the dining hall where Alec, Maria, Maryse and Isabelle were just finishing their meal and got their attention by announcing, "The doctor has arrived!" Everyone at the table looked up and took score of the man's appearance. He appeared to be about Alec's age, with golden hair, golden eyes, and golden skin. Wearing a long grey coat, a rimmed hat, and a self-confident smirk, the young man somehow managed to look both rebellious and professional at the same time.

"Dr. Wayland! How nice to see you on such short notice!" Maria said, breaking the silence that had occured. She had made plans with him the day before, at his father's fish market.

The blonde tipped his hat at her. "My good lady, I pride myself on being punctual." He said with a wink, causing Maria to blush and Maryse to turn red from anger. "And, please, call me Jace." He looked around the table. "May I get introductions from you good people?" He asked, and they all complied by telling the doctor their names. "I see." He said. "Pleasure to meet you all. Now, could one of you show me to my patient's room?" He directed this question at Maria, obviously as a hint for her to offer, but it was Alec who stood up.

"I'll take you to him, Doctor." Alec pushed his chair away from the table and placed his napkin beside his half-eaten meal.

"Very well." The blonde said, covering his dissapointment with a rougish grin, "And call me Jace, my good man."

With some fairwells to the people still seated a the table, the pair left the dining hall and made their way through the halls to Max's room. Alec knew the route by heart. Jace, while looking around with admiration at the decore of the place, insisted on carrying a conversation with Alec as they walked. At first, Alec thought it was because the doctor liked the sound of his own voice, but he soon came to realize that Jace actually wanted to learn more about him.

Their chit-chat was cut short when they came to their destination. "This is it." Alec said, stopping in front of the door. Then, Alec uncomfortably asked, "Would you mind if I stayed for a bit?"

Jace gave him a knowing smile. "You want to see if I'm good to your brother." He stated and Alec blushed, but nodded. "That's sweet. Sure, you can stay for as long as you like...or as long as Max wants you to stay."

"Of course." Alec said compliantly and then Jace opened the door. Entering first, Alec announced, "Max, your new doctor is here."

The young boy sat up amongst his thick blankets as Jace entered the room. He ran his eyes over the confident man. "You're younger than I thought you'd be, Dr. Wayland." He said as Tabitha the nurse took the tray off his lap and left the room quietly.

Jace took off his hat and hung it on the bepost, letting his golden locks fall haphazardly. "Yeah I get that a lot." He said with a lopsided grin. "And please, call me Jace."

"Jace." Max seemed to taste the name on his tongue. "It suits you."

"Thank you, young sir." Jace said, taking a seat beside his bed. Alec stood awkwardly by the door. "My real name is Jonathan Christopher Wayland, but that's such a mouthful, so I just took the initials."

"J.C." Max said triumphantly. "I get it."

Jace winked at him. "You're a sharp one." He took out a clipboard from his briefcase and Alec chose that time to quietly slip out of the room. The doctor was obviously kind to his brother, and Max seemed to like him already. Alec had no need to stay there.

**THTHTHTHTHTH**

It had been three days since Magnus had last seen Alec. He didn't know why, but he felt a strange connection with the boy. Sure, he was a little jealous of him. After all, Alec did have everything he didn't. He was rich, he had a place to live (a castle, no less!), and he had a family. Magnus, on the other hand, had no money, no home, and he was utterly alone. His mom had run away and never come back and his dad had died of the disease outbreak a few years back. Magnus was left with nothing, and had been stealing things to survive-clothing, food-as well as sleeping wherever he could find a warm place.

Besides these hardships, Magnus had actually managed to stay a happy person. He found ways to entertain himself by making mischeif whenever he was bored. It made him enjoy life and he always tried to keep a positive outlook on it, despite his hardships.

The teen also got some extra money by singing in the square. He didn't have any instruments, but he sometimes used everyday objects to enhance his performance. Usually, though, Magnus would just stand and sing. Some of his songs were known folk-songs and others he had written himself. He would place his felt hat on the ground and people would throw in coins as they passed by and listened. Besides getting money, the music was a way for Magnus to express and enjoy himself.

When he had met Alec, Magnus was stealing some apples. He hadn't expected to get to know him when he first saw him, but decided to strike up a conversation when he noticed how lonely the other boy looked. They soon became partners in crime but Magnus wasn't sure what they were now...friends? He hadn't had a friend in a long time.

Looking down at the sparkly clip grasped in his palm, Magnus reflected how it felt to have a friend. He really wanted to see Alec again, but he didn't know how they could ever meet up. Alec lived in a castle somewhere and Magnus was always on the move, never in one place of the villiage twice.

He really hoped that they could find their way to each-other like the first time.

**Author's Second Note: And there's some background info on Magnus' life...because I wasn't sure where to go with my plot. xP If you have any plot ideas, please let me know in a review! I need some inspiration! Sorry again about the shortness. Love you all!**

**Take care.**  
><strong>-Patricia Sage<strong>


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